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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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1 Corinthians 6:12
“‘Everything is permissible for me’ – but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible for me’ – but I will not be mastered by anything.”
Freedom, freedom, freedom.
Christ has set me free from the Law of sin and death. So I enjoy total freedom. No, not quite. “Through Christ Jesus the Law of the Spirit of Life set me free from the Law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). We have exchanged one Law for another one. We have exchanged the “Law of sin and death” for the “Law of the Spirit of Life”.
One breeds death, the other Life. The trouble is that whatever I sow to “sin and death” – the carnal, normal human nature – I reap its deathly power. But, whatever I allow to sow in the “Spirit of Life” brings and reaps life, health and joy. It’s a ‘Ring of Truth’!
It is a constant cry from the enemy that now you are a Christian, you have total freedom to do anything you like – “all things are permissible”. But, as he is the father of lies, it is hardly surprising that he says it (see John 8:44). He doesn’t say it to cheer us up but to trap and discourage us.
It was the same in the Garden of Eden. When he said, “Has God said you mustn’t eat?” He was just sowing doubts about what God said and who He is. “Surely a good God wouldn’t stop you eating anything you want to? Surely He wouldn’t put any restrictions on you?” (see Genesis 3) “Surely as a Christian, a Child of God, you can do whatever you like?” No, we can’t (see Romans 6).
You see, Satan is both sly and evil and he misrepresents who God is. God is a God of Love and Life. God knows that some things bring death and separation. However, the enemy will do all he can to divert us from God, from the truth and from following Jesus. Satan’s attacks are rarely full-on frontal attacks, because he knows we would react against him, so he uses subtlety and disguise. He maximises the urgency, the attraction and the desire whilst minimising the consequences, particularly in the long term.
Listen – don’t get hoodwinked by his lies. Don’t get deceived by his ways. True freedom is always found within righteous boundaries, whether they are intellectual, moral, scientific, medical, physical, psychological, or even parental. Balanced children mature within a strict loving environment. We are accountable for all we do and there are ‘natural laws’ and natural consequences.
Listen. “Do you not know that your body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body” (v19-20).
Paul highlights sexual immorality – and there is no excuse. We can both overcome and master the ‘sex drive’ by the act of our will and the power of God (see Genesis 39). We do have control over our actions. We also have the resurrection power of God – the Holy Spirit – to enable us to overcome temptation and evil, so we have no excuse.
We do have the power to live a life of purity if we want to. It’s a matter of choice. We choose either life or death.
Which one will you choose for the rest of today?
(And commit to for the rest of your life?)
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